Heat exchanger and refrigeration cycle apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes: a plate-like fin having one end and an other end in a first direction; and a first heat transfer tube and a second heat transfer tube that each extends through the fin and that are adjacent to each other in a second direction. A portion to which the fin and the first heat transfer tube are connected and a clearance portion that separates between the fin and the first heat transfer tube are disposed between the fin and the first heat transfer tube. The clearance portion is disposed at one end side in the first direction relative to an imaginary center line that passes through a center of the first heat transfer tube in a long side direction and that extends along a short side direction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plate-like fin having a windward end and a leeward end in a first direction which is along a flow direction of a heat exchanging fluid; and 
 a first heat transfer tube and a second heat transfer tube that each extend through the plate-like fin and that are adjacent to each other in a second direction which is along a gravity direction and crossing the first direction, wherein 
 an outer shape of each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube in a cross section perpendicular to an extending direction of each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube is a flat shape having a long side direction and a short side direction, 
 a first end portion of the first heat transfer tube located at the windward end is disposed at an upper side in the second direction relative to a second end portion of the first heat transfer tube located at the leeward end, 
 a third end portion of the second heat transfer tube located at the windward end is disposed at the upper side in the second direction relative to a fourth end portion of the second heat transfer tube located at the leeward end, 
 a portion to which the plate-like fin and at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube are connected, and at least one clearance portion that separates between the plate-like fin and the at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube are disposed between the plate-like fin and the at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, 
 the at least one clearance portion is disposed at the windward end in the first direction relative to an imaginary center line that passes through a center of the first heat transfer tube in the long side direction and that extends along the short side direction, and 
 wherein the at least one clearance portion is disposed to overlap with a first imaginary line segment that connects between the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube in a shortest distance and that is drawn at the most windward end in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a width of the plate-like fin on the first imaginary line segment is shorter than a width of the plate-like fin on the imaginary center line. 
 
     
     
       3. The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a width of the clearance portion in a direction along the first imaginary line segment is the maximum on the first imaginary line segment. 
 
     
     
       4. The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube has
 an upper flat surface and a lower flat surface disposed in parallel to be separated from each other in the short side direction, and 
 a first surface and a second surface, the first surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the windward end and facing the windward end, the second surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the leeward end and facing the leeward end, and 
 
 the first imaginary line segment passes through a boundary portion between the upper flat surface and the first surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       5. The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion has a first clearance portion which faces the upper flat surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       6. The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion has a second clearance portion which faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       7. The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion is constituted of a plurality of the clearance portions, 
 the plurality of clearance portions include
 the first clearance portion, and 
 a second clearance portion that is disposed to be separated from the first clearance portion in a direction along the first imaginary line segment, and that faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a distance in the second direction between the first end portion of the first heat transfer tube and the fourth end portion of the second heat transfer tube is shorter than a distance in the second direction between the second end portion of the first heat transfer tube and the third end portion of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       9. The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube has
 an upper flat surface and a lower flat surface disposed in parallel to be separated from each other in the short side direction, and 
 a first surface and a second surface, the first surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the windward end, the second surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the leeward end, and 
 
 the first imaginary line segment passes through a boundary portion between the upper flat surface and the first surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       10. The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion faces the upper flat surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       11. The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       12. The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube has
 an upper flat surface and a lower flat surface disposed in parallel to be separated from each other in the short side direction, and 
 a first surface and a second surface, the first surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the windward end, the second surface connecting the upper flat surface to the lower flat surface at the leeward end, and 
 
 the first imaginary line segment passes through a boundary portion between the upper flat surface and the first surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       13. The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion faces the upper flat surface of the first heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       14. The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       15. The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       16. The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the second clearance portion is disposed to be separated from the first clearance portion in a direction along the first imaginary line segment, and faces the lower flat surface of the second heat transfer tube. 
 
     
     
       17. The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion is formed as a through hole extending through fin in a third direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. 
 
     
     
       18. The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one clearance portion is configured as a portion that is depressed with respect to a plane perpendicular to a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. 
 
     
     
       19. A refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising:
 a heat exchanger comprising:
 a plate-like fin having a windward end and a leeward end in a first direction which is along a flow direction of a heat exchanging fluid; and 
 a first heat transfer tube and a second heat transfer tube that each extend through the plate-like fin and that are adjacent to each other in a second direction which is along a gravity direction and crossing the first direction, wherein 
 an outer shape of each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube in a cross section perpendicular to an extending direction of each of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube is a flat shape having a long side direction and a short side direction, 
 a first end portion of the first heat transfer tube located at the windward end is disposed at an upper side in the second direction relative to a second end portion of the first heat transfer tube located at the leeward end, 
 a third end portion of the second heat transfer tube located at the windward end is disposed at the upper side in the second direction relative to a fourth end portion of the second heat transfer tube located at the leeward end, 
 a portion to which the plate-like fin and at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube are connected, and at least one clearance portion that separates between the plate-like fin and the at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube are disposed between the plate-like fin and the at least one of the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube, 
 the at least one clearance portion is disposed at the windward end in the first direction relative to an imaginary center line that passes through a center of the first heat transfer tube in the long side direction and that extends along the short side direction, and 
 wherein the at least one clearance portion is disposed to overlap with a first imaginary line segment that connects between the first heat transfer tube and the second heat transfer tube in a shortest distance and that is drawn at the most windward end in the first direction; and 
 
 a fan configured to blow a heat exchanging fluid to the heat exchanger along the first direction, wherein 
 the heat exchanger is disposed such that the one end of the plate-like fin is located at the windward end of the heat exchanging fluid and the second direction is along a gravity direction.